It seems that a childrens author or book has to be established before they will be given any attention. Whereas a new adult book with an unusual theme or concept might get a slot on radio or television, the same is not true of childrens fiction. In my laureate role I went to at least 20 events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and, along with the parents attending with their children, was almost always captivated. But how many of those childrens authors will get a chance to talk about their work on Open Book or The Review Show, or be interviewed by a national paper?